The BRAIN project

The BRAIN project is investigating whether we can develop more precise methods to detect and track two common neurological disorders – Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

The BRAIN project


What is BRAIN?

The BRAIN project at the Wicking Dementia Centre is investigating whether we can develop more precise methods to detect and track two common neurological disorders – Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Ultimately, we would like to develop a new computer test that people can use at home to measure changes in these disorders more accurately.

BRAIN is funded by NHMRC for 5 years, and builds upon the work already done in the TAS Test project.  So if you are an ISLAND participant and have already participated in TAS Test – thank you! The data collected from that, and the lessons we learned along the way have fed directly into BRAIN project.  


How does BRAIN work?

Participants come to UTAS’  new, state-of-the-art movement analysis centre at the Medical Sciences Precinct in Hobart CBD.   They will then undergo 1-2hrs of testing.   This will involve movement, speech, reading and eye tracking tasks, finger tapping and other tests.     Some of our participants have described the testing as “weird but interesting”.


What is HIMAC?

The Human Intelligent Movement Analysis Centre (HIMAC) has specialist equipment that uses cameras and small sensors to precisely measure movements of people’s eyes, face, hands and walking. The results from this part of the study will help us work out the earliest changes that occur in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease so we can develop a new computer test using this information. 

For people interested in seeing what a state-of-the-art movement analysis lab looks like, we are hoping to offer tours of HIMAC in 2026 – keep an eye out for further announcements.

HIMAC under construction in 2023:

 


Who is doing this research?

We have a multidisciplinary team with expertise in clinical neurology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, ophthalmology, physiotherapy, biomarkers, biostatistics, electrical engineering, computer vision, AI (machine learning) and more.   We are also privileged to have Harley Stanton, who is both a person living with Parkinson’s  and a retired WHO public health doctor.  Harley brings expertise in consumer co-design and patient advocacy.

 

Core BRAIN team in the HIMAC lab:  From left to right, Dr Bec St George, Prof Jane Alty, Dr Simon Weber (sitting), Dr Sauro Salomoni, Dr Bill Bennett


Chief Investigators:  Prof  Jane Alty,  Prof  James Vickers, Dr Bec St George, Dr Aidan Bindoff, A/Prof  Quan Bai, Dr Max Friedrich

Associate Investigators: Prof Anna King, Prof Michele Callisaya, Prof David Hogg, Dr Harley Stanton

 

Who will be recruited?

BRAIN is a a multidisciplinary study funded by NHMRC for 5 years, and we aim to recruit at least 250 people into the study.

We are also recruiting people with diagnosed neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease from both the ISLAND Clinic and the Tasmanian Parkinson’s ProjectWe are also recruiting healthy controls and people at risk of developing these disorders via other pathways, such as ISLAND project

To develop the new computer test, we are inviting people with these conditions, or related disorders, to come to the University of Tasmania, for a range of movement and cognitive (thinking and memory) assessments. We are also inviting healthy controls (people without these disorders) to do the same assessments.


What will be the outcomes?

We will analyse all the data we have collected  to identify patterns and measurements that can predict or track Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, hopefully in their early stages.  Using AI and machine learning, we hope to distill our complex lab instrument measurements down to a much simpler computer test that can be run at home, using standard mobile phones and laptops.   This will transform how we measure response to new medications as well as helping recruitment for new clinical trials.  

 

How can I participate?

If you have received a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease within the last 5 years, you are potentially eligible for this study, and we  would love to have your participation.

From March to September 2025, we have invited just under 70 people from the TPP to participate, with more to come.    

If you have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the last 5 years and we have NOT contacted you, please get in touch, as we would welcome your participation.    You can contact the TPP:

Email : parkinsons@utas.edu.au

Telephone: 03 6226 5640

Or you can reach out to us direct at brain@utas.edu.au

As of Oct 2025, we have collected data from almost 30 people recruited via TPP,  and we cannot thank them enough for the gift of their time. 

If you have already been invited, but have not yet replied to the invitation, it is not too late!    We will continue to collect data well into 2026, and we would love to have your involvement.   

 

I have more questions

Please contact the BRAIN team direct at  brain@utas.edu.au


From left to right, Dr Simon Weber, Xinyi Wang, Harley Stanton, Dr Sauro Salomoni, Diriba Mulisa